Dear Visitor,
On May 19, 2006, the Leiden Cathedral Organ Foundation, in the presence of His Excellency the British Ambassador to the Netherlands, Mr. Lyn Parker, officially announced that a large Romantic English organ would be installed in the Hooglandse Kerk in Leiden.
Thanks to the generosity of all our sponsors and donors, the Leiden Cathedral Organ Foundation was able to purchase an existing, unique organ. The organ was built in 1892 by the world-famous organ builder Henry ‘Father’ Willis and is in virtually original condition.
The organ was carefully restored and slightly expanded in the style of ‘Father’ Willis by Henry Willis & Sons Ltd and installed in Leiden between 2015 and 2017. In 2026, the organ was expanded by organ builder Reil with a Contra Posaune 32′.
The presence of two monumental organs in a this large gothic church, the renowned baroque De Swart / Van Hagerbeer organ (1565/1637/1717) and the new English Romantic organ, results in a fantastic organ podium in Leiden. The city of Leiden can already boast a number of fine historic baroque organs, such as the Van Hagerbeer organ in the Pieterskerk. Through the realization of this English cathedral organ and with Evensongs, concerts and events, together with their collaboration with other concert organizers and the Stichting Orgelstad Leiden, the Stichting Cathedral Organ Leiden will make a substantial contribution to the promotion of Leiden as the ‘city of organs.’
With this website we hope to increase your interest in the project and also hope that you can support us financially!
Egbert Moolenaar
Chairman, Stichting Cathedral Organ Leiden
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Achived newsletters:
Newsletter October 2013
Newsletter March 2014
Newsletter May 2014